©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
DIGITAL SELF-SERVICE
Pommie Lutchman
Chief Innovation Officer – OcularCloud™

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
2
Omni-Channel Customer Engagement

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Why is Customer Service on Messaging so Attractive?
Secure
Identity protected through username and
password on messaging apps like Messenger
Persistent
Dialogs are archived in message apps
automatically
More robust
No speech recognition challenges through
noisy environments or accents
Less intrusive
Messaging dialogs can be conducted silently,
during meetings, in presence of others, while
travelling, etc.
Consistent
One client, central storage of messages
Personal
Cell phone or Messenger account belongs to
one person, not shared
Ubiquitous
900 million individuals use Messenger
already, growing fast. EVERY phone can text
Asynchronous
Does not take user’s entire attention, i.e. they
can pursue other tasks while messaging
THINKbeyond
the app!

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
MESSAGING
Asynchronous communication, apps on billions of phones, discovery built-in through
embedded address book – just “send your question”
SMS
Asynchronous communication, app on every phone – find phone
number, then just “send your question”
WEB/APP
App requires discovery and download – apps require download,
question needs to be translated into menu options
Synchronous, i.e. requires full attention, slow –
question needs to be translated into menu options
PHONE CALL
What’s the LEAST EFFORT way to get your question answered?
Effort/TimeSpent
Channel

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IVR and Contact Centre: Bridge the Gap
Submit context and history of IVR interaction to
agent
Self-Service Live Service
Welcome back to
DStv!
Please enter your
smartcard or ID
number…
3 – 8 – 5 – 1 –
2 – 0
Contextual
Handover to
Live Agent
CLI recognition
Hello Mrs. Smith. I
can see you are
calling in with an
account query…
Thanks. I can see you
have a negative
account balance.
Would you like to
arrange payment or
speak to an agent?
“I’d like to speak
to an agent”
Personalization

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
6
SMS and Contact Centre: Bridge the Gap Extend self-service to textual channels, and
seamlessly hand over to live service on same
channel
Contextual
Handover
to
Live Agent

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
MOBILE and Contact Centre: Bridge the Gap
Offer contextual callback in mobile
apps
Hello Mr.
Lutchman. You
wanted us to call
you back regarding
your account
payment?
Contextual
Handover
to
Live Agent
Self-Service Live Service

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Chat and Contact Centre: Bridge the Gap
Prequalify a web chat user, then hand off seamlessly to
live agent
Self-Service Live Service
Contextual
Handover
to
Live Agent

of consumers are annoyed
when they have to repeat
themselves about the same
customer service issue
89%

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Show them
you know them!
• Wow your customers by knowing when and why
they contacted you last, and whether there are any
outstanding issues
• Provide a seamless Omni-Channel Customer
Journey by preserving session state across customer
touch points – self-service and agent assisted
• Dynamically personalize and ease self-service
interactions by managing customer preferences and
segmentation data
The Solution: Context Continuity
CONTEXT
CONTINUITY
CONVENIENCE

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
How? Context Cookies
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Examples
▸ Dropout points in IVR interactions
▸ Business tasks that weren’t completed on last call
▸ Last transaction performed in mobile app
▸ Last time the customer talked to an agent
▸ Last issue discussed with agent
▸ Most recent page of your website the customer visited
Think “browser cookies”:
Small data bits that track the customer journey

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
13
1. Max calls in and tries to update his
credit card expiration date. His call
gets dropped.
2. Max calls in again, expecting to start
from scratch. To his surprise, the IVR
remembers his transaction.
http://aspct.co/continuity1
http://aspct.co/continuity2
Prime Telecom
call endedconnectedconnectedcall ended
Prime Telecom will always offer to complete
the last transaction if unfinished in previous session
DEMO

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
14
1. Max calls in and tries to update his
credit card expiration date. His call
gets dropped.
2. Max calls in again, expecting to start
from scratch. To his surprise, the IVR
remembers his transaction.
http://aspct.co/continuity1
http://aspct.co/continuity2
OR
Max decides to turn to SaskTel’s
mobile Web app instead
SaskTel will always offer to complete
the last transaction if unfinished in previous session
DEMO

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
would rather
CLEAN A TOILET
than talk to
customer service*
33%
* http://www.aspect.com/millennials
# http://info.localytics.com/blog/23-of-users-abandon-an-app-after-one-use
Messaging: It’s no longer the
42% 23%
of app users
ABANDON
AN APP
after 1 use#
72%
of customers
PREFER TEXT
over talking on the
phone

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
we could come up with the ultimate way to serve
customers the way they communicate with each
other…
…WHILE SAVING COST
INTERACTIVE TEXT RESPONSE
ENTER

The 4 Faces of Messaging

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
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Direct Answers to
Questions
Basic Information
What’s my balance?
Your balance as of 6/13 is
$89.13. It is due on 6/30
ABC Bank

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
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Direct Answers to
Questions
Basic Information
How many minutes
have I used
You have used 35 of your free
100 monthly domestic minutes
Prime Telecom

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
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Direct Answers to
Questions
Basic Information
What’s my rewards
balance?
24,133 points
ABC Airlines

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25
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Display of rich media,
or collecting/sharing
sensitive information:
link to disposable app
ABC Bank
Can I pay my bill
with a different card
To pay your bill securely, tap
https://m.abcb.com/lH78yU5
Rich Media or Secure Content

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Rich Media or
Secure Content
26
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Display of rich media,
or collecting/sharing
sensitive information:
link to disposable app
Prime Telecom
Can I pay my bill
To pay your bill, please tap
https://m.stel.com/lH78yU5

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Rich Media or
Secure Content
27
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Display of rich media,
or collecting/sharing
sensitive information:
link to disposable app
ABC Airlines
Need a flight from BOS
to DFW tomorrow
We have 2 direct flights:
#1199 at 4:05pm, #541 at
7pm. Book here:
https://m.swa.com/lH78yU5

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Detour: What’s a “Disposable App”?
• Reach the 96% of customers who aren’t regular
users of your mobile app
• Turn texting into a secure channel
• Complements your existing mobile native app
A special-purpose, context-aware, secure HTML5
mobile Web app that requires no prior download,
works across all smartphone platforms, lets your
customer engage on the spot
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• Pay bills • View lab results
• Enter data • …

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Transactions
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
“Form Filling”, e.g.
Appointment
Scheduling
I’d like to meet with a financial
advisor. Can I come in Monday?
On Monday we can offer: 10am,
2pm, 3:30pm
ABC Bank
10am works
We’re looking forward to seeing
you Monday, 10am

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Transactions
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Transactional
Dialogs
Want to add SMS roaming
package for $15?
Prime Telecom
Sure
Great! Charge the $15 on your
card ending in 9002?
Yes
OK. Your package has been
added

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Transactions
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Transactional
Dialogs
Want to add Early Bird Check-in
for $15 for your upcoming flight?
ABC Airlines
Sure
Great! Charge the $15 on your
card ending in 9002?
Yes
OK. Early Bird Check-in added!

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Transactions
32
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Proactive Outreach
Communicate changes proactively
through outbound text
“Form Filling”, e.g.
Appointment
Scheduling

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Contact Center
33
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Getting Human
Help –
bypassing IVR
Call me
What do you need help on? E.g.
send “loan”, or “card”
ABC Bank
Credit card
A card specialist will call you
shortly
ABC Bank

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Contact Center
34
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Getting Human
Help –
bypassing IVR
Call me
What do you need help on? E.g.
send “roaming”, or “billing”
Prime Telecom
My bill looks wrong
A billing specialist will call you
shortly
Prime
Telecom

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Contact Center
35
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Getting Human
Help –
bypassing IVR
Call me
What do you need help on? E.g.
send “rewards”, or “flight
information”
ABC Airlines
I need to make a
reservation
A booking agent will call you
shortly
ABC
Airlines

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Contact Center
36
The 4 Faces of “Messaging”
Getting Human
Help –
bypassing IVR
Respect Channel Choice
Stay in messaging channel or escalate
to voice

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
38

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Meet Edward, ‘s SMS Virtual Host
WHAT?
Adapt to our guests’ ever-evolving needs
and deliver a new level of service excellence
WHY?
Respond to new guest behavior, stay relevant,
stay competitive through service quality, reduce
cost through automation
HOW?
Welcome guest with a text, respond to questions
instantaneously via AI, involve staff where needed,
offer option to receive call to bridge self- and live
service
Welcome to the Radisson
Blu Edwardian Grafton.
My name is Edward and
I’m your virtual host. If I
may be of assistance,
please text me. Examples:
apps.edwardian.com/
e/003ed.html

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40
Help page

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Edward Combines…
41
▸ The business value of a blend of personal touch and automation
▸ The response times and accessibility of self-service
▸ The proven methodologies of Interactive Voice Response
▸ The consumer appeal of texting/messaging as a communication channel
▸ The ubiquity of SMS across the world
▸ The benefits of Natural Language Understanding for free-form dialog
▸ The value of CRM to show the guest we know them
▸ The human touch through live service integration where needed

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Edward – An Overview Customer
Question
General
Question
Extract
Intent & Content
“Call me”Complaint
Answer
Front or Back
Office
Follow-Up
Acknowledge
Humor/
Other
Front Office
Follow-Up
Account-
Specific Q
Respond
KudosNeed
2025 2 122

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Challenging Dialogs…
43
How do I open the fridge
door in my room
I am sorry to hear that your door
is not cooperative; a member of
staff will be with you shortly to
rectify the issue.
I wanted a cold drink but can't
open fridge door but I'll leave
it until the morning thanks Apologies about the door.
Housekeeping will be with
you shortly to assist.
No thanks I don't wish to
disturb my wife who is asleep
at 3:40am!!!

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Why is Customer Service on Messaging so Attractive?
Secure
Identity protected through username and
password on messaging apps like Messenger
Persistent
Dialogs are archived in message apps
automatically
More robust
No speech recognition challenges through
noisy environments or accents
Less intrusive
Messaging dialogs can be conducted silently,
during meetings, in presence of others, while
travelling, etc.
Consistent
One client, central storage of messages
Personal
Cell phone or Messenger account belongs to
one person, not shared
Ubiquitous
900 million individuals use Messenger
already, growing fast. EVERY phone can text
Asynchronous
Does not take user’s entire attention, i.e. they
can pursue other tasks while messaging
THINKbeyond
the app!

©2016 Aspect Software, Inc. All rights reserved
Some experiments to look beyond texting…
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